He remained in that ditch until the sound of the truck’s engine had faded. Picking himself up and dusting himself, Nathan looked about. The time was fast approaching when he wouldn’t be able to play it safe. The feeding of his men was going to demand that he’d have to start taking more chances. Otherwise, his men would turn away from him and go off on their own in search of food, safety, and a purpose. So long as he tended to their basic needs, Nathan reasoned he would be able to keep them together and under control.

Perhaps, he thought as he picked up his long trek back to where his men waited, he would even be able to do something useful when the Army returned. Many a battle had been decided by the sudden and unexpected appearance of a small, well disciplined force that had no business being where it was. Maybe, Nathan mused, he could even salvage a military career that was well on its way to being the world’s shortest.

BOISE, IDAHO • NOON, NOVEMBER 2

Like clockwork the Adjutant General’s executive officer came out of the AG’s inner suite of offices and looked over to the desk where Nancy Kozak sat waiting. “Here’s the morning mail for the governor,” he announced with a broad smile.

Putting a copy of USA Today down, Nancy looked up at the bright, cheery major. She made no effort to return the smile. “There’s a personal note for the governor,” he added quickly. After handing her the sealed envelope imprinted with the “Eye Only” stamp, the major stepped back and retreated into his office without another word. A courier didn’t need any additional instructions, especially when that courier had more combat experience than the entire staff of the AG’s office.

Folding the newspaper Nancy laid it in a half-open drawer, retrieved her neatly blocked BDU cap from another drawer, and gathered up the bundle of envelopes containing reports and summaries considered too sensitive or important to send over to the governor’s office via fax or e-mail. It never ceased to amaze Nancy how much paper existed in an age that was dominated by computers and office automation.